Photos this morning by Derek Berg...
New York is a tough town...
Wednesday, December 4, 2019
Details on the 3rd annual East Village Arts Festival at the Tompkins Square Library branch
The Tompkins Square Library branch is hosting its third annual East Village Arts Festival.
The two-day event starts on Friday. Here are just a few of the events via the EVG inbox (find the full rundown at this link):
Friday, Dec. 6
• Music Performance: NYPL Sings!
3:30-4:30 p.m.
Join us for a fun sing-along with some fantastic librarians! Musicians from libraries across NYC will perform songs from the New York Public Library children's album, NYPL Sings! The performance will be held in the second floor children's room. All ages welcome.
• Art Opening for the Sixth Street Youth Program
3:30-5 p.m.
Young artists will display their work highlighting the Lower East Side.
• Photographers Karla and James Murray
5-6:30 p.m.
Exhibition Opening: "Store Front: The Disappearing Face of New York." The opening reception includes live music and refreshments.
• Logo for Jazz Foundation of America
5-6:30 p.m.
Musical Performance: George Braith Quartet
A true original, saxophonist George Braith has brightened jazz with his innovations — from his classic 1960s recordings for Blue Note and Prestige; to his 1970s presentations at the lower Manhattan club, Musart, which he ran; to his own original instrument, the Braithophone, which fuses soprano and alto saxophones into one horn.
Saturday, Dec. 7
• Drag Queen Story Hour with Harmonica Sunbeam
11 a.m.-12 p.m.
DQSH captures the imagination and play of gender fluidity in childhood, and gives kids glamorous and unapologetically LGBTQ role models. A drag queen will read inclusive books as well as storytime favorites, and lead participants in a simple craft. Sponsored by the Office of City Council Member Carlina Rivera. This program will be held in the basement community room.
• Walking Tour: Artists, Writers, Musicians of Tompkins Square
11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Tompkins Square Park has long been a center of the arts. Please join us for a fun, free one-hour walking tour, hosted by library manager Corinne Neary and local street photographer Michael Paul.
• Children's Arts and Craft Activities
12-4 p.m.
All materials will be provided, just bring yourself! These activities will be in the second floor children's room.
• 16mm Short Film Screenings: Artists in New York
1-1:45 p.m.
We will screen three short 16mm films, from the reserve collection of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts:
"Jackson Pollock" (1951; 10 mins.) Dir: Hans Namuth, Paul Falkenberg
From the straightforward documentation of the artist at work, and his personal explanation of what he is doing, to the original music score, everything in this film is marked with the intense quality of the late Pollock's personality.
"Artist in Manhattan" (1968; 9 mins.) Dir: Barry H. Downes, Linda Marmelstein
A portrait of Jerome Myers, a key figure in the famous Ashcan school of American art and one of the founders of the historic Armory Show of 1913. His paintings and drawings depict New York City at the beginning of the 20th century.
"Andy Warhol" (1965; 22 mins.) Dir: Marie Menken
Warhol is seen in his studio and at gallery showings surrounded by his signature pieces: Brillo and Campbell soup cartons, and his silkscreens of flowers and well-known personalities.
The branch is located at 331 E. 10th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.
Previously on EV Grieve:
A visit to the Tompkins Square Library branch on 10th Street
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On Dec. 1, the branch celebrated its 115th birthday... here's how the building looked upon the grand opening...
[Updated] The Associated on 14th Street in Stuy Town closes on Monday
[Photos yesterday by Steven]
Employees at the Associated on 14th Street in Stuy Town are telling patrons that this Monday (Dec. 9) is the last day. [Updated: Employees are now saying Wednesday, Dec. 10. Updated 2: The store is closed as of Friday (Dec. 13).]
As one reader told us: "It is starting to look that way, though there is no sign of marked-down merchandise."
There weren't any store closing signs posted as of yesterday here between Avenue A and First Avenue ... though there is a notice that sale items/coupons will be honored at the Associated on Avenue C at Eighth Street...
News of this closure first surfaced in September. The final day was expected to be somewhere at the end of November or early December, per Town & Village.
Longtime store manager Norman Quintanilla told this to T&V in September:
“A lot of people are crying and upset about it,” he said. “It especially affects a lot of elderly customers that we help with phone orders. They don’t know where else to go.”
Quintanilla said that he wasn’t involved in discussions with Associated’s ownership and Blackstone regarding why the store is closing but he said that business has been steadily decreasing every year.
Joseph Falzon, the store’s owner, previously told Crain's that a confluence of factors had cut business nearly in half. For starters, construction on 14th Street for the L train obscured the supermarket with a 12-foot fence these past two years.
There's also increased competition, including the Target on 14th and A that opened in July 2018 with a large food-and-beverage selection. In addition, the Trader Joe's is expected to open early next year right across 14th Street. (Per the comments in previous posts on this closure, a good number of residents don't find the Target or Trader Joe's to be an adequate replacement for an old-fashioned supermarket.)
In an email in September, Stuyvesant Town General Manager Rick Hayduk told residents that they are "working on finding a new tenant with full understanding that a local grocery store is important to the community; but this will take some time."
Previously on EV Grieve:
The Associated on 14th Street in Stuy Town is said to close by year's end
169 and 171 1st Ave. fetch $14 million
A Miami real-estate investor opted for both buildings, in a transaction reported at $14 million for the pair, which comes out to "$1,100 per foot, a very high per foot price," per Lois Weiss at the Post, who first reported on the deal.
The residential units are market rate ... as for the retail spaces, 16-year-tenant Momofuku signed a 10-year lease renewal in 2015, per Weiss. No word about Manhattan Eyeworks next door at No. 169, a three-story building that features a 60-foot rear garden, a free-market duplex apartment and — drumroll — 6,508 feet of air rights.
United Copy & Print has apparently closed
United Copy & Print at 241 E. 10th St. just west of First Avenue recently closed ... the interior has been cleared out, as this photo via Steven shows...
United Copy & Print arrived in this space, a former nail salon, in early 2012... they moved down the block here after previously doing business as The American Copy Center.
Tuesday, December 3, 2019
Tuesday's parting shot
The Christmas lights outside 7B/Vazac's/Horseshoe Bar on Seventh Street and Avenue B ... (and a follow-up to Saturday night's post)...
Updated: Garbage trucks return to park on 10th Street
Two garbage trucks were spotted parked on 10th Street just west of First Avenue today (thanks to Steven for the photos!) ...
On Nov. 21, the Department of Sanitation (DSNY) was to temporarily relocate the trucks — effectively immediately — to Pier 42 along the East River for the next three months.
For whatever reasons, the trucks are back here — and during the day. In September 2018, the DSNY started using this section of 10th Street to park up to seven garbage trucks from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m., including on Sundays. The DSNY no longer had use of their garage on 30th Street, and the solution was to relocate their fleet to residential blocks.
This move sparked numerous complaints from residents and merchants alike who called out the problems with the smell, noise and negative impact on business.
While the trucks were away from here for a week-plus, the "Authorized Vehicles Only" signs remained up along this corridor, reserving parking for DSNY vehicles.
Updated 2:30 p.m.
Sen. Brad Hoylman's office contacted the city. "They say that the trucks are there on a lunch break but will remain off the street overnight and on weekends, as they have publicly committed."
In a statement, the Department of Sanitation said: "Sanitation workers continue to use this facility during lunch breaks; the trucks are not parking overnight."
The Theater for the New City complex at 155 First Ave. near 10th Street was previously used by DSNY for storage, and they still maintain space in the facility for crews.
Previously on EV Grieve:
• Questions and concerns as the sanitation department begins using 10th Street to park garbage trucks
• More trash talk about those garbage trucks parked on 10th Street
• Local elected officials continue to press city for alternatives to parking garbage trucks on 10th Street; muggings now a concern
• A waste of space: 10th Street still waiting for the garbage trucks to move on
• Garbage truck parking situation on 10th Street still stinks, residents say
• Waste land: Local elected officials tell the city to move the garbage trucks from 10th Street
• State pols introduce legislation to ban garbage trucks from parking overnight on city streets, like on 10th Street
• The city is removing the garbage trucks that were parking overnight on 10th Street
Tramonti Pizza closes on St. Mark's Place ahead of move to NoMad
[Photo from June 2017 by Cheyenne]
Tramonti Pizza closed on Saturday night after service at 130 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue.
The pizzeria, which opened in the spring of 2017, is moving to a larger location on Fifth Avenue and 28th Street, per their Instagram feed.
Tramonti Pizza garnered some positive notices. And EVG reader David, who alerted us to the closure, was a fan.
"The food — especially the pizza and the pastas — was excellent and always fresh, the owner and staff very friendly, and the prices reasonable given the quality of ingredients used," he wrote in an email. "That said, it never seemed full, so not a complete surprise I guess."
Word here is that new owners are planning to continue operating a pizzeria. The two previous tenants were also pizzerias — (Via Della Pace Pizza and Falanghina Pizza Bar).
Whole Earth Bakery held forth for 20-plus years at this address until December 2012.
Previously on EV Grieve:
Pizzeria in the works for former pizzeria at 130 St. Mark's Place
Hot Kitchen pivots to Sushi & Sake on 2nd Avenue
Hot Kitchen, the authentic Sichuan restaurant, closed at the end of October over at 104 Second Ave. between Sixth Street and Seventh Street.
Word here was that ownership planned to changed up concepts in the weeks ahead. And so they did.
As the top photo via Steven shows, Hot Kitchen will now be serving Japanese cuisine under the name of — presumably — Sushi & Sake. Expect a soft opening this week.
Hot Kitchen opened in 2011... and eventually moved away from the more traditional (and adventurous) Chinese-menu offerings in place of hotpot and BBQ. They also curtailed delivery last year. See the reader comments here for more.
Monday, December 2, 2019
The 9th Precinct's Sector B NCOs are hosting a Build the Block meeting tomorrow night
The 9th Precinct is hosting another Sector Safety Summit tomorrow (Dec. 3) night for East Village residents and business owners — this time for those who live in Sector B.
This Sector encompasses 14th Street to Seventh Street from First Avenue to Avenue C.
The meeting is tomorrow (Tuesday) at 6:30 p.m. in the Campos Plaza Community Room, 635 E. 12th St. at Avenue C.
As for these Sector meetings: "This is an avenue for you to voice your grievances or concerns with issues in and around the neighborhood."
This is part of the NYPD's initiative called the Neighborhood Coordination Officers (NCO) program. The 9th Precinct is split up into four sectors, with two officers assigned to each sector. Find a list of the 9th Precinct's NCOs here.
All about the housing lottery at EVE on 13th Street
The lottery is now open for 30 mixed-income units at 433 E. 13th St. — aka EVE — between Avenue A and First Avenue. (H/T 6sqft!)
Details!
Qualifying New Yorkers earning 40, 60, and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, which range from $674/month studios to $2,991/month two-bedrooms.
You have until Jan. 27 to apply. Find the info at this link (PDF!).
Leasing at the luxury building — market-rate units begin at $3,250 per month for studios and up to $7,000 for two-bedroomers — started this past January.
The building is on the site of the onetime Peter Stuyvesant Post Office (1951-2014). Residential amenities include a courtyard, rooftop barbecue area, and an outdoor TV and sound system "which will change movie night forever," per leasing materials.
The Trader Joe's is expected to open on the 14th Street side retail space in early January.
Previously on EV Grieve:
• Former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office slated to be demolished
• The former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office will yield to an 8-story residential building
• New residential building at former 14th Street PO will feature a quiet lounge, private dining room
• Developer withdraws zoning variance request for former 14th Street post office site
• The Peter Stuyvesant-PO-replacing residential building tops out on 14th Street
• All about EVE, the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office-replacing rentals on 14th Street
• EVErything about the new luxury rentals at the former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office
The San Loco is opening SOON on Avenue C
[Image via Instagram]
The new San Loco at 111 Avenue C between Seventh Street and Eighth Street is close to being ready to dish out its quick-serve Tex-Mex specialities.
"We don’t have a solid opening date, but are targeting early December to open," said Kimo Hing, who runs San Loco with his wife Jill.
They officially took possession of this space in late May. CB3 also approved a liquor license for the address, the former tapas joint Marcha Cocina, in May.
As previously noted, San Loco debuted at 129 Second Ave. in the East Village in 1986 ... before later moving across the street to 124 Second Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place. That outpost closed in June 2017 due to an unsustainable rent increase. The Avenue A San Loco closed in 2014 after 15 years in business.
San Loco also has a location on Stanton Street.
Previously on EV Grieve:
It's official: San Loco is returning to the East Village
San Loco plotting an East Village comeback?
Huminska closes on 9th Street after 27 years in business
In recent months people have asked about the status of Huminksa, the women's boutique at 315 E. Ninth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.
Owner-designer Janice Huminska has addressed the situation in a note posted to her website last week. Her shop, which first opened in 1992, is now permanently closed. She writes, in part:
A tough retail environment could not and would not thwart my addiction to fabric and making dresses for all of you! Rather this crazy retail environment has been fueling me, as other obstacles over the last 3 decades have done, to overcome!
I am not at liberty to say exactly what happened, other than that a tsunami hit my longstanding tiny little biz & thru no fault of my own my labor of love was decimated, along with my livelihood ...
You can read her full note below...
What's going on at Black Iron Burger on 5th Street?
The Black Iron Burger at 540 E. Fifth St. near Avenue B is entering its fifth month of closure for renovations... and some regulars are wondering if it might reopen at all.
Locals haven't noticed much activity inside the space. And now, there's a Con Ed notice affixed to the front door.
"Gas shutoff notices aren’t ever good news during 'renovations,'" wrote Brian Van, who shared the photo in this post.
While this location remains on the Black Iron Burger website (along with new outposts coming soon to West 32nd Street, West 54th Street and in Chicago), the phone is no longer in service. We reached out to them via email about the status here. Will update if/when we hear back.
The East Village location was the first of the Black Iron Burgers, opening in 2008 ... with new ownership taking over in 2013.
In the summer of 2018, TripAdvisor rated Black Iron as serving the best burger in New York State.
Sunday, December 1, 2019
Sunday's parting shots
An inflatable Santa above the beer store on St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue... top photo by EVG reader Daniel...
And another look via Derek Berg...
Week in Grieview
[A slice to go on 2nd Avenue via Derek Berg]
Posts this past week included...
A visit to Turntable Lab on 10th Street (Tuesday)
The 1st Avenue and 2nd Avenue locations of the Bean closed this past Sunday (Monday)
The Tompkins Square Park holiday tree lighting is Dec. 8! (Wednesday)
Last soup night for Ciao for Now (Tuesday)
About the Messages to Go shopping bags that support small businesses in the East Village (Friday)
Coat drive at an.mé on 9th Street (Friday)
75 1st Ave.'s growth spurt (Monday)
Harry & Ida's closes (Monday)
Trailer Park Santa Stand bucks tradition on 14th Street with mini camper (Wednesday)
A quick look at the under-renovation Joseph C. Sauer Park (Wednesday)
beQu Juice is closing on 9th Street (Tuesday) ... and an empty storefront (Friday)
A new bus-boarding platform for 14th Street (Tuesday)
Punto Rojo looks done for on 1st Avenue (Monday)
This is your chance to be the 7-Eleven's landlord on the Bowery! (Tuesday)
Dig debuts on 4th and 13th (Monday)
Foundation watch: 24 1st Ave. (Tuesday)
Interesting new business opens on 1st Avenue and 14th Street (Friday)
The former Steamy Hallows space is for rent (the back rent is also due) (Monday)
... and Friday night lights at the Tree Riders stand along Second Avenue...
[Photo by Steven]
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The New South Philly at Foxface
The latest creative offering at Foxface on St. Mark's Place caught the eye of EVG contributor Stacie Joy ... the New South Philly, featuring kangaroo loin, caramelized onion, green pepper and fontina sauce...
Available for a limited time, along with the Paint It Black with cuttlefish and black lentils.
The tiny shop for adventurous sandwich seekers at 80 St. Mark's Place in Theatre 80 is open Tuesday through Friday, noon to 3 p.m., then 5:30-9:30 p.m. ... and noon to 9 p.m. (or when they sell out!) on Saturday and Sunday.
Previously on EV Grieve:
Longtime East Village residents open Foxface, now serving sandwiches at Theater 80
Saturday, November 30, 2019
Saturday's parting shot
The Christmas lights went up today outside 7B/Vazac's/Horseshoe Bar on Seventh Street and Avenue B (will check back for this view later) ... thanks to EVG reader Emily Reese for the photo!
6 posts from November
[A recent fall day in Tompkins Square Park]
A mini month in review...
• A visit to Turntable Lab on 10th Street (Nov. 26)
• Details on the guilty verdicts in the 2nd Avenue gas explosion case (Nov. 18)
• A visit to the new Tompkins Square Playground featuring equipment for kids with special needs (Nov. 14)
• A look at Book Club, the new bookstore-cafe on 3rd Street (Nov. 8)
• After 20-plus years in the East Village, Obscura Antiques and Oddities is closing (Nov. 7)
• Enz's Boutique has closed on 2nd Avenue (Nov. 4)
Your guide to getting Local today and every day of the week
Help keep your local storefronts bustling on Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday and every day with EVCC's new online Get Local Guide.
Our new Guide is updated in real time. So it's the best place to find up-to-date information on the go.
Don't worry, we're still printing those cute little books! Our 2020 Get Local Guide arrives next week.
Friday, November 29, 2019
'Hide' and Seek
Some new shoegaze courtesy of Deserta, the latest project from Matthew Doty. The debut release from Deserta is out in early 2020. The audio track here for "Hide" came out last week.
About the Messages to Go shopping bags that support small businesses in the East Village
[Rossy's Bakery & Cafe owner Rossy Caba, right]
The East Village Independent Merchants Association (EVIMA) and FABnyc have joined forces to bring greater awareness and appreciation to small- and immigrant-owned businesses in the East Village.
Beginning Small Business Saturday (tomorrow, Nov. 29!), customers can stop by any of the participating businesses and pick up their free Messages to Go shopping bags:
● Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks, 28 E. Second St. (between Second Avenue and the Bowery)
● Downtown Yarn, 45 Avenue A (between Third Street and Fourth Street)
● Dual Specialty Shop, 91 First Ave. (between Fifth Street and Sixth Street)
● Exit9 Gift Emporium, 51 Avenue A (between Third Street and Fourth Street)
● East Village Vintage Collective, 545 E. 12th. St. (between Avenue A and Avenue B)
● Lancelotti Housewares, 66 Avenue A (between Fourth Street and Fifth Street)
● La Sirena Mexican Folk Art, 27 E. Third St. (between Second Avenue and the Bowery)
● Pageant Print Shop, 69 E. Fourth St. (between Second Avenue and the Bowery)
● Pink Olive Card Shop, 439 E. Ninth St. (between Avenue A and First Avenue)
● Random Accessories, 77 E. Fourth St. (between Second Avenue and the Bowery)
● Rossy's Bakery & Café, 242 E. Third St. (between Avenue B and Avenue C)
Messages to Go is an art project by Hatuey Ramos-FermÃn that creates and distributes a series of reusable shopping bags based on conversations with local business owners and advocates to draw attention to small business displacement in the Lower East Side.
EVG contributor Stacie joy shared these photos of the bag featured at Rossy's Bakery & Cafe ...
Coat drive at an.mé on 9th Street
Now through Dec. 6, an.mé, the boutique for kids and families on Ninth Street, is holding a coat drive for WIN (Women in Need), a social-services agency that helps women and children with housing and other critical needs.
Via the EVG inbox:
This year they are asking for preloved or new coats for kids ages 3-16 and winter accessories, same age range.
We have a collection box in the store and are offering anyone who brings in coats 15 percent off their purchase from us that day. They can even purchase items from us to donate and receive the 15 percent off that purchase.
The shop is at 328 E. Ninth St between First Avenue and Second Avenue.
An empty storefront now at 350 E. 9th St.
[Photo yesterday by Steven]
The beQu Juice (or Bqjuice) at 350 E. Ninth St. is now closed... as we noted, Wednesday was expected to be the last day in business here just west of First Avenue.
On Thanksgiving day, someone (the landlord? a juice-shop employee?) covered the front window with flattened cardboard boxes.
Bq — short for Beyond Quality — opened in January 2014 at the former home of the 9th Street Bakery, which closed in 2012 following a rent increase.
At the time, bakery owners Oleg and Tetyana Kucherenko said that they couldn't afford the 38 percent rent hike that the landlord was requesting with a new lease. They were on a month-to-month rent arrangement until the landlord found a new tenant.
Oleg told Gothamist in 2012 how much their demographic had changed.
"[It's got] nothing to do about rent, it's about business. It can't be generalized because the neighborhood in this spot really changed. Changed so much. I have maybe 5 percent of my customers left. I was fighting until the end, but it was already bad a year ago."
Until 2012, a bakery had been in this storefront for 87 years.
Interesting new business opens on 1st Avenue and 14th Street
That AT&T store is now open for business on the southwest corner of First Avenue and 14th Street. (Photo from EVG AT&T Authorized Retailer correspondent Pinch.)
This zone is now a hotspot for wireless services, with AT&T joining the MetroPCS next door and the T-Mobile on the southeast corner of 14th and First.
The previous tenant here, the Vitamin Shoppe, closed in November 2018 after nine years in business.
Previously on EV Grieve:
Signage for interesting new business arrives on 1st Avenue and 14th Street
Thursday, November 28, 2019
Dark Bird
Dark Bird
unexpected i could not unsee
this dark bird appearing before me
i stood still among the walking
as not to alarm this visiting
foraging fellow below the tree
food there finding i could not see
am i the only one noticing
so much beauty hops along
unexpected with a flap of wings
lands closer upon the fence
regarding me with a curious eye
my mind racing our relevance
before more than a breath a sigh
another flap of wings up and away
through the portal in the sky
alas too brief this silent stay
•
peter radley
Wednesday, November 27, 2019
Tree Riders NYC will soon be selling trees on 2nd Avenue
EVG correspondent Steven reports that the Tree Riders NYC have started setting up their tree shop today outside St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery on Second Avenue between 10th Street and 11th Street...
The Christmas trees will arrive here on Friday... this is arguably the most popular and cheerful of the tree stands in the neighborhood... since 2011.
Soon...
[2018]
The Tompkins Square Park holiday tree lighting is Dec. 8!
[Photo by Steven]
Well, while you're waiting for one holiday to begin... here's some save-the-date info — the 28th edition of the Tompkins Square Park tree lighting happens on Dec. 8 from 4-5 p.m.
Expect caroling, refreshments, etc.! Always a good time. More details next week!
Meanwhile, in a bit of good news, that mysterious hole that arrived near the tree last Christmas Eve eve was filled in on Nov. 6 after nearly 11 months ...
[Photo from Nov. 6 by Steven]
(Of course there are those smaller mysterious holes now...)
A quick look at the under-renovation Joseph C. Sauer Park
Renovation work started the week of Oct. 21 here at Joseph C. Sauer Park on 12th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B.
The Parks website lists construction as 2 percent complete... here's a look at 2 percent in the books...
The upgrades include new equipment, seating areas and plantings. The $4-million renovations — part of Mayor de Blasio’s Community Parks Initiative — have a completion date of October 2020, per the Park's website.
The schematic on the Parks website still shows a 4-foot fence along 12th Street...
On Oct. 18, following a petition drive and community concern over safety issues, local Assemblymember Harvey Epstein and City Councilmember Carlina Rivera announced a deal with the city that would keep the fence outside the Park at 8 feet once it reopens.
Previously on EV Grieve:
A petition to keep the 8-foot fence at Joseph C. Sauer Park on 12th Street
Year-long renovations expected soon at Joseph C. Sauer Park on 12th Street; locals want fence to remain at 8 feet
Pols: Fence at Joseph C. Sauer Park on 12th Street will remain at 8 feet
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